Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Thelma Plum, Warner Music Australia 2022.
Three very good, but substantially different, albums from young women this week courtesy of my friend Neil from Human Services.
Indigenous artist, Thelma Plum arrived on the music scene with a bang when her debut LP Better in Blak peaked at number four on the ARIA Chart in 2019.
She went on to receive six ARIA nominations including video clip of the year and won the award for best cover artwork.
Better in Blak charted at number nine in the Triple J hottest 100 in that year and remains one of the highest selling debut albums of recent times.
Meanjin is Thelma’s third EP following on from Rosie (2013) and Monsters (2014), both of which were released under the Footstomp label.
After the success of Better in Blak she signed with prestigious Warner Music Australia.
Since its release in August, Meanjin has already climbed to 28 on the Australian Charts largely on the back of the three singles so far released.
The first, Backseat of My Mind, has already broken into the Top 40 in the NZ charts.
The second, When It Rains It Pours, is a great song about a failed love affair; he wouldn’t leave his partner (wife?).
In the chorus Thelma sings: When it rains it pours, I walk through the city of yours
Dinner’s been served and you’re next to her
There’s no place for me, there’s no place for me
Her most recent single, The Brown Snake, is an ode to her indigenous heritage and her country town roots.
The chorus: But if I died and went to heaven then heaven would be this place
Maybe I’m smitten – bitten by the brown snake.
Meanjin is a beautiful six track mini album that presents Thelma at her singer/songwriter best.
The studio is where the music was recorded but it has a light touch, there’s no trickery here.
Thelma presents good songs and honest heart-warming performances.
The songs are a crossover of pop/rock with country undertones and they’re completely approachable by a wide range of musical tastes.
